Emerald and Hazel, Auburn and Ebony
by Sterling Wolf
Summary: Are you looking for well-written Lily and James stories with good grammar and interesting plots? If so, look no further. The following "story" is a collection of reviews of superb examples of the aforementioned stories. - Wow that was a long sentence.
1. Dorm Room by Rabiscar

_**Disclaimer**__**:**__ I do not own any of the stories to come, nor am I one of the authors. They are all excellent writers and deserve due credit. The following stories are carefully selected from the hundreds of Lily/James fics I have read, selected for their writing style, grammar, plot, and interesting-ness. - for lack of a better word…sorry =.=_

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_**Story Title****:** Dorm Room

**Author:** Rabiscar

**Category*:** Romance/Humor

**Summary:** In six chapters, "Dorm Room" tells the tale of how Lily and James get together. It's short and sweet, with good grammar and vocabulary. Beginning with a fluffy scene in Gryffindor Tower, the story progresses on to their developing friendship and ends with a tense encounter between our lovely protagonists. If you're looking for a light and charming read, this is it. There are no outstanding errors to throw you off, nor is there excess fluff. Although the story is a commonly used one- how James and Lily get together- it is a remarkably praise-worthy interpretation.

**Characters:**

_**~Lily**__-_ She is the main character in this story, and is the one who finally caves and admits to James that he's her "somebody." She is described to have red curls and the all so familiar fiery temper. Fortunately, she is not a Mary-Sue, waiting for James to mature and show his devotion to her perfect self. Lily is guilty of what Sirius accuses her of, (playing with James' feelings), although not as badly as the former believed.

_**~James**_**-** Our gentlemanly sweetheart, James evokes pity for himself from the reader, yet does not sound pathetically lovesick- quite a commendable achievement. _(Kudos to Rabiscar.)_ His attempts to make Lily notice him come off as silly at first, but once his true intentions are revealed, one can only say, "Awwwwwwwwww..."

_**~Sirius**_**-** The ever infuriating best mate, he stays true to his animagus form, loyal to those that he loves. Trying to get James and Lily together, he attempts to keep the former grounded to reality and not get crushed yet again while struggling to persuade the latter to admit to her feelings.

_**~Mary and Dorcas- **_These two girls are minor characters; Lily's kooky friends. Although the story would have been just fine without their presence, they add a bemusing yet charming feel to the last chapter, what with their teasing and quaint terminology.

**Note:** I will not include all characters. Just the main ones and those that stand out as particularly interesting.

**Uniqueness****:** The use of the word "unicorn" as a euphemism for "virgin" was definitely something I've not seen in a story until now. It makes sense however, as unicorns are beautifully pure. The first scene, with James carrying Lily to bed, is one I have seen before, but not in Gryffindor Tower. The added detail of where James sleeps instead is also one unique to this story.

*by "category", I mean the category the story is classified as on this site


	2. Once Again by Charlotte Donahue

_**Disclaimer**__**:**__ I do not own any of the stories to come, nor am I one of the authors. They are all excellent writers and deserve due credit. The following stories are carefully selected from the hundreds of Lily/James fics I have read, selected for their writing style, grammar, plot, and interesting-ness. - for lack of a better word…sorry =.=_

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**Story Title****:** Once Again

**Author:** Charlotte Donahue

**Category*:** Tragedy

**Summary:** Divided into three parts, "Once Again" is a bittersweet one shot told in McGonagall's point of view. This story nearly made me cry, it was so touching. "Once Again" is not the typical Lily/James romance, but because of their large influence on "Minnie's" life, I included it to my list of stories. _(Don't worry though, more romance story reviews are to come ;))_ In this one shot, McGonagall reflects on three sets of hazel eyes, green eyes, black hair, and red hair. _(This is actually where I got the inspiration for my story title.)_ The first set, James and Lily, were her favorite students, and their mischievousness and curiosity, respectively, were to her, quite incomparable. Until Harry Potter arrives at Hogwarts, the mix of both his parents. The generation afterwards is more of the author's invention, with a pair of twins that are James and Lily look-alikes. This beautiful ficlet is well written, with sentence structure and style to complement the plot. Although "Once Again" is classified in the "tragedy" category, its ending is sweetly tender.

**Characters:**

_**~Professor McGonagall- **_She is the narrator for this story, an uncommon choice, but it only serves to add to the style of the story. Her emotions and thoughts guide the main course of the story, reflecting wistfully back on her favorite students, James and Lily. Even when talking about the next two generations, she still links them back to her original favorites. Due to the depth of her emotions towards the first pair, the reader feels her pain and anguish when she learns of their death.

**Note:** I will not include all characters. Just the main ones and those that stand out as particularly interesting.

**Uniqueness****:** The style this one shot is written in is unique- short sentences in centered font. This contributes to the tone of the story. The fact that McGonagall tells the story also is unusual. Her narration allows the reader to feel the sentimentality of a teacher, reflecting back on her favorite students. The twins of the third generation are the author's invention- James Tristan and Lily Charlotte. Yet their remarkable resemblance to the original two help the readers connect emotionally to what McGonagall, Flitwick, Remus, and Snape feel. Charlotte Donahue is an exceptional writer, talented especially in her use and placement of words in sentences, thus creating powerful sentences. This talent is demonstrated in her one shot, "Glimpse", as well, which I may or may not be reviewing. _(Depends on my time.) _Check it out!

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*by "category", I mean the category the story is classified as on

Go on and read this story! And I hope you enjoyed "Dorm Room." More reviews of longer stories are to come, so stay posted.


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